


Teamwork

by SmileDesu



Series: Wicked - a Billy/Loki compilation [3]
Category: Young Avengers
Genre: Gen, M/M, Teamwork, jam magic, magical tutoring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-29
Updated: 2014-08-29
Packaged: 2018-02-15 07:01:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2219919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmileDesu/pseuds/SmileDesu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teddy left. With Billy's emotional state at an all time low, Loki must find the right words to say or he might lose his pupil and with him, any hope of success</p>
            </blockquote>





	Teamwork

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place between the 2013 run's issues 9 and 11

A child playing with jam. Getting the substance all over the floor, over his hands, his knees, making overall a mess in the middle of Noh-Varr's ship. That's all Billy saw when he looked at Loki. The childlike demigod was crouching on the floor with a jar of jam in one hand while the other smeared the red jello over the floor. He was going on and on about... _something_ magical, admittedly Billy hadn't been paying much attention. He probably should've been listening, followed the explanation about the runes Loki was carefully painting on the floor, but Billy simply couldn't find it in himself to do so. It required motivation and energy he didn't have.  
Eventually Loki got tired of pretending his audience was listening and he waved his hand in front of Billy's face, a scowl on his childish features.  
  
" _I_ already know this, Billy. _You_ , on the other hand... have made me sound like a highschool teacher, curse you."  
The complaint was met with the same disinterested, blank look Billy'd had up to then before Billy lowered his gaze, barely feigning interest in the magical circle. Loki grumbled in obvious dissatisfaction with his pupil, and it was that momentary and unintended challenge of his authority that made their magic consultant choose that moment to pitch in.  
  
"Are you _certain_ the runes are spelled right? And the formation, I'm not familiar with it..."  
David Alleyne, the former X-Man known as Prodigy, with the knowledge of some of the greats in his head, specifically relevant - Dr. Strange, the world's Sorcerer Supreme. Of course, David knowing what he did didn't necessarily mean much, and was a source of much friction between the trickster and ex-mutant.  
  
"Your lack of familiarity is unsurprising as it's a rare dialect that might take long even for you to place, poised in a composition of my own design, the logic behind which you'd have grasped in a _glance_ if you had but a sliver of _talent_ to back up your-"  
  
The exchange was cut abruptly when Billy pushed himself up.  
  
"Billy? We're not done--"  
  
Billy held his hand up in indication he was having none of that.  
"Look me up when you've decided who the magical alpha male is. Until then, Wiccan out." The witch turned away and took his leave, his cape billowing behind him. Loki stared at his disappearing figure for a while before turning to David with his best pout, cheeks puffed and all. David quirked a brow in response, arms crossed. As the staring contest brought them nowhere, Loki shrugged, then looked at the magic circle with a sigh, some sadness in his gaze.  
  
"Such a shame. So much jam, wasted..." Loki whined and dipped a finger in the jar before licking it clean. He then lost some of his childish playfulness. "And we were _finally_ starting to make some progress with the _important_ magicks, too, but now he's closed up on me..."  
  
"He's going through a hard time, Loki, he's tired. We all are." David argued, only to realize too late he fell for Loki's verbal taunts when he noticed the sly look in the trickster's eyes.  
  
"True, but come to think of it, he seemed fine _right up_ to Teddy's departure, didn't he? And, of course, you wouldn't know _anything_ about _that_ , would you, David?"  
The way the young man tensed, held back but present made Loki smile briefly, a short-lived expression that was gone by the time David looked at him again. Jar of jam at hand, Loki frowned before shrugging. "Oh well, might as well have a sandwich with the rest. Oh, and David? Thank you _so_ much for cleaning up after us."  
  
"Wait, wha-"  
  
With a hastily uttered 'elsewhere' Loki was gone, leaving David alone with a lot of jam on the floor. The next moment he got to work, figuring that the least he could do was clean up after the lesson. The very least...  
  
–  
  
Billy found temporary refuge at what they came to refer to as 'the cafeteria', a small seating area by the food synthesizers. He fixed himself a sandwich and grabbed a can of soda, both of which rested before him, hardly touched. He had little appetite to speak of since Teddy left, and mostly bothered with food when the others insisted, Kate in particular. The rest of the time he ate when he lowered his guard and instinct and habit took over. He dropped his cape on the chair next to him and managed a sip and a couple of bites before his belly protested. He was full. That realization came and went without leaving much of an impact, similar to how Billy didn't even look up when Loki jumped into the room, the soles of his boots creating quite a racket when they met the metal floor. It was meant to draw attention, at the very least, to inform Billy Loki was there without directly addressing him. It did get Billy to take another sip from his drink, at least, and he proceeded to occupy himself with the can while Loki scampered around the room.  
  
"They say food tastes better with company."  
  
Finally Billy looked up to find Loki on the other side of the table, a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich in hand.  
  
"That really depends on the company." Billy replied before filling his mouth with the bubbly liquid. Loki seemed ready to pout but he gave up on the act instantly. He usually did that when they were alone, a fact Billy wasn't beyond appreciating. Loki pretending to be a hyper, peppy twelve year old was exhausting on a good day, and Billy was already worn out.  
  
"Wonderful! I came with gruesomely low expectations." Loki cheered and sat down. Not acting childishly didn't mean he was beyond making jabs at Billy, mind. He took a bite out of his sandwich and didn't wait to swallow before he spoke again.  
"You really should eat more," he commented and finally swallowed before licking the corner of his mouth. "That pretty blue light doesn't happen on its own, it burns fuel."  
  
Billy let out a heavy sigh with his eyes closed. He wasn't in the mood for a pep-talk, to the point he seriously considered leaving, but there was something in Loki's voice when he spoke next that kept him there.  
  
"Billy."  
It was a lone word, two syllables, supposedly meaningless without context. Still, Billy looked up and was a bit taken aback by the concerned look Loki had on. It was replaced the next moment by thoughtfulness, and he stalled for time by putting his sandwich down and wiping his hands on a napkin.  
"I understand you're not at your best, but now that we're off the inter-reality-express, the best thing we can do is get you battle-ready at our earliest possible leisure. Now, the good news is that before Mr. Alleyne showed up, you've gotten the hang of finer control. Honestly? I was sure it would take you so much longer."  
The backhanded compliment made Billy look away, and that made Loki reconsider his approach lest he lost him.  
"Billy, you're doing _great_. I mean it. I am legitimately impressed. Scared a bit, too, actually, seeing how you're at fifty percent capacity at best. But now that you can control it, it's time for you to learn what to do with it, and I don't mean what I've taught you before, that's peanuts. I-- what was that?" Loki blinked. Billy gritted his teeth and repeated the question, forcing the words out of his mouth more loudly this time.  
  
"Will it let me know what I need to know? Can I get answers?"  
  
Loki seemed as though he was going to answer but then tilted his head, an unconvincing look of curiosity on his face.  
"That depends. What are you going to ask?"  
  
Billy grabbed his wrist, a bitter smile on his lips. Of course Loki wouldn't be honest about _that_ , why should he?  
"Forget it, it's nothing-"  
  
"I will do no such thing. Look, Billy." Loki pushed the plate aside and leaned forward on the table. "I _want_ to help you, but I can't do it if you're not honest with me-- that's _not_ funny!" Loki argued when Billy snarled at the statement. "I mean it. If you need anything, talk to me. Billy, we want the same thing, I'm on _your side_ \--"  
He reached over, hoping to hold Billy's hand but froze when Billy sat up, body tense and his hand gripping too tightly onto his wrist. The look in his eyes wasn't like the glares Loki was used to receiving from him, annoyed and frustrated. This was beyond anger, even rage - it was hatred most profound, an emotion the likes of which Loki wasn't sure Billy could still produce.  
  
Billy himself was surprised by the sudden intensity of it, filling the void in his chest and setting the dreary darkness aflame. To hear Loki say that, to have him act all friendly and well meaning after _what he's done_ \--  
_"Then why did you send Teddy away?!"_ he wanted to ask, his throat tightening as though he was screaming. _"Why did you take him away from me?!"_  
He was shivering, shaking with anger and accusation to the point Loki, for a brief moment, actually looked terrified. Loki, the God of Mischief. Loki, the trickster. Loki, who knew it was so much better to tell half-truths than to lie. Loki, who simply warned Teddy of something Billy might've done, and gave him a shot at free choice.  
"... _heh_." The small, despaired sound as though took the air out of Billy, leaving him deflated. He pressed his hand against his forehead, elbow on the table with his other hand next to it. "Whatever."  
The emotional ping-pong left him dry and numb, to the point he didn't pull away when a hand rested over his own on the table. He glanced down at that hand, and when it didn't move he glanced up at Loki, his exhaustion evident in his eyes even when viewed from between his fingers. Loki seemed to struggle with himself and Billy could almost hear the pointless things Loki contemplated telling him. Eventually he either came up with a reasonable choice, or gave up on wit. Either way he finally braved to say, with his hand squeezing Billy's a bit tighter -  
  
"Plan A before plan B, Billy."  
  
Billy's eyes shut tightly. He lowered his hand and looked away while leaning back in his seat, his discomfort obvious in his frown. At first Loki thought it was simply the bad memory and the bad after-taste that came with it, but then-  
  
"And when plan A crumbles and backfires? What then?"  
His voice cracked at the end. He pulled away and out of Loki's reach, leaving the room in quick, long steps. Loki let him go, deciding he needed time to come up with a strategy before approaching Billy again while he was in that state.  
It would be a while before he was given the luxury to think about that, though.  
  
"Alas, Master Kaplan." A voice not unlike Loki's own purred as a finger traced the edges of Loki's sandwich, collecting bits of jam and peanut butter. "If only he knew how utterly _wrong_ he was."  
  
Despite his better judgement Loki looked to his side where a translucent duplicate of himself was seated, a smug look on his pale lips.  
"From where I'm standing, everything seems to be going _right_ according to plan."  
  
He never got to taste the sweet substance on his finger. Loki threw his hand through his head, making his supposed conscience dissipate into nothing. Disgruntled and without his appetite, Loki pushed himself up and was about to leave when he noticed the red that pooled over one of the chairs and spilled onto the floor. Loki picked up Billy's forgotten cape and threw it over his shoulders. It was far too long and dragged on the floor behind him, but he chose to be amused by this rather than dwell on how redundant an act returning the magical item would be. He'd let someone else clean the mess they made, as always; Loki was intently insisting that the act of returning the cape was worth it, as he had precious few other ways to silence his guilt, ultimately worthless as they all were.


End file.
